Art of reducing aluminium and other metals.



PATENTBD MAY 5 1908. H. S. BLACKMORE. ART OF REDUCING ALUMINUM AND QTHER METALS,

APPLIOATION FILED HOV. 14.1905.

uveni'o'z @Uitvmaoes residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of v vented certain new and useful Improvementsmetals from their oxids and produce alloys v metal oxi with other metals by the action of a said alternating current being of such chan an aluminium alloy therefrom.

metals desired to be reduced or alloys thereof other metalsand production of other alloys.

n TEnsTArnj;

PAEENT orrrcn.

HENRY SPENCER BLAGKMORE, OF MOUNT VERNON; NEW YORK.

ART or REDUCING ALUMVINIUMVAND OTHER METALS.

No. 886,757. Original application filed August 22, 1904, Serial To all whom it'inwy concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SPENCER BLACKMORE, a citizen of the United States,

'Westchester and State of New York, have in in the Art of Reducing Aluminium and other Metals, being a division from Serial No. 221,748, (Patent No. 775,060,) of which the following isa specification. I

The object of my inventionis to reduce thereof, in a rapid, efiicient, and economical manner; and 1t cons1sts,essent1ally, in h uefygg com ound metaloxids or compoun s of In carrying out my invention for-the production of aluminium alloys 1 take oxids of lithium and calcium in proportion of about four of the former to one of the latter and fuse the same by any economical means, such as heat externally'a plied or preferably by the passage of an alternating electric current through the same between electrodes, the

acter that it will not yield metal from the substances fused thereby. Then after fusion I add to the bath an aluminate of the'metali an'alloyof which with aluminium is desired which readily dissolves therein, and simultaneously subject such dissolved alurninate, which has been liquefied below its normal melting point by the action of the associated solvent substances, to the action' of.-a current of electricity capable of electrolyzing the liquefied aluminate and yielding or liberating It should be noted that the solvent bath of metal oxids employed in they reduction of metals must consist of oxids of metals which have a greater affinity for oxygen than do the produced, the principal metals having greater Specification of Letters Patent.

iatented May 5, 1908,

atiinity for oxygen than aluminium being T. prefer,

lithium, calcium, and magnesium. however, to form thesolvent bath for the reduction of aluminates of a mixture or combination'of lithium and calcium o'xids, as be- No. 221,748. Divided and. this application filed November 14, 1905; I Serial No.

forestated, for the reason that the lithium oxid reduces the density or specific gravity of the calcium oxid, as well as its meltin point, and allows the aluminium alloy liberated within its mass by decompositionbf the aluminate to Yreadily settle to the bottom thereof, so that it can be withdrawn from time to time, desired, without fear of loss by oxidation, which would result shouldthe metal remain suspended within a more dense molten material for any length of time, whereby it might reach the surface through circulation and burn in the presenceof the 4 oxygen of the air and also prevents final loss of metal, which might otherwise remain mixed with the fluxes on cooling. Lithium oxid and calcium oxid may be employed per sc as a solvent bath; but I prefer the mixture as aforesaid and for the reasons noted.

In carrying-out my process for the production of aluminium alloys I prefer .to employ.

an apparatus as illustrated in the accompany mg drawings, in which.

Figure 1 1s a plan or top view'; and Fig. 2

is a'longitudinal vertical section on the line s-s, Fig. 1.

in referring to the figures aforementioned,

the letter A designates a box or receptacle, preferably of iron, lined with a substance, such as carbon B, in such a manner as to form a receptacle for the substances to be reduced and solvent chemical bath t-here--- for, in which is an electric conductor and aresistant, preferably o-t fus ble nature, such as aluminium, and lithium, and calcium oxids in proportion of about four of the.

former to one of the latter and communicating with the electrodes.

as before stated, is introduced in the apparatus through ther'openings E, which are The material, such as the mixture of lithium and calcium oxids,

closed by the insulating coversor plugs F passing in the insulating, cover X, through 'which passes the electrodes G and T, which electrodes preferably consist of or contain carbon.

The box or receptacle A is COD? nected as cathode, while the electrodes G1] are connected as anode, when employing a.

direct current in an electric circuit for electrolyzing or dissociating aluminium oxid or other metal-containing oxy-compound.

lof the chemical solvent In starting theapparatus I pass through the alternate carbon rods or electrodes T and the carbon lmingof the box A an alterthe said electrodes T and the inside of the receptacle of the carbon-lined box A by separating the said electrodes -=-l slightly from contact with the carbon lining of the receptacle and then feed in lithium and calcium oxids which quickly become fused and accumulate in the carhondined receptacle, communicating with the electrodes 'l, through which after fusion the current of electricity passes as the electrodes are separated farther and farther from the interior of the carbon-lined receptacle and through which between the electrodes the alternatingcurrent passes, producing heat enough to fuse and maintain fusion of the solvent chemical bath without decomposition. I

then introduce from time to time into the molten chemical bath through the-openings E by removing the insulated covers or :lugs F a metal aluminate, such as. copper al nate, which, almost immediatel becomes liquefied by the action of the so vent bath. As the metal aluminate, such as copper aluminate, becomes liquefied by the action bath I pass through themolten bath a direct or electrolytic current of electricity between the anodes G and the carbon lining B, which constitutes the cathode. By thls procedure I am enabled to maintain a fluid condition of the solvent bath at a temperature eloW the normal melting pointof the metal aluminate by the action of an alternating current incapable of'yielding metal from the substances employed, while the whole of the direct current may be employed or utilized for electrolytic purposes in dissociatin or electrolyzing the metal aluminate which has been liquefied by the action of the chemical bath below its normal melting -1)Ol!1llu 'ihegreat advantage gained by such operation will be seen When the cheapness with which an alternating current may be produced, transmitted, and employed for heating purposes is compared with the more expensive direct current, which more expensive direct current may bewholly, employed for the purpose of electrolytical dissociation in. the 1 1bcration of the aluminium alloy Without 035.

The aluminium alloy or other metal reduced is withdrawnfrom time to time, as desired, through the tap-hole K and trough L by removing the plug 1, the gaseous byprdkiucts escaping through the conduits "W'hen lithium and-calcium oxids are fused together to form my preferable solvent bath for aluminates,. as hereinbefore described,

fififthey appear to combine to forms, solvent umisears? bath which dissolves the alumin'ate Without further combination or reaction or, in other words, is-inert thereto. By adding copper oxid' with aluminiumoxid or copper alumi nate to the solvent oXy-bath, aluminium alloysmay produced by electrolysis, or by adding aluminates of :uher metals or mixtures of other oxide of metals to'which aluminium oxid acts as acid other aluminium'alloys may be produced. .l can also employ instead ofaluminates or compositions of aluminium oxid, With other metals the oxid or oxids of other metals combined with other metals the alloys of which are desired so long as their reduction is performed in a bath of solvent ogrids of metal having greater aflinity; for oxygen than the metal or :metals the alloy of which is desired My invention,.specifically stated, therefore, consists in exposing a molten body of metal oxids to the action of an electrolytic current capable of selectively separating two or more of the metals therefrom without reducing the metal having greater affinity for oxygeinwhile replenishing the bath from time to time with an oXy-com ound of the metal or metals desired, the so vent bath in which the electrolysis of the metals is per-. formed consisting of fused oxy-compouuds of'metals having greater ailinity for oxygen than the metal or metals desired. It has nowhere in prior art been anticipated to form a bath for aluminates or compounds of metal oxid. with other metals by fusin "the combined oxids of metals and lique ying the metal compound, the metal or alloy of which is desired, below its normal melting point by addih itto the fused oXid bath and subjecting t e metal compound thus dissolved to the action of a direct current of electricity capable of yielding or lib crating the metal by electrolysis, whereby the aluminate or other metal oxy-compound may be reduced continuously by supplying it from time to time :to the fused oxid solvent bath as increments are reduced to a metallic state as formed by my process. By maintaining a relatively low voltage of the direct or electrolytic'current the aluminates, &c., may be readily dissociated, liberating alu minium or other alloys without deteriorating or decomposing the solvent oxid bath because of the greater affinity of the metalsof the solvent bath for, oxygen. A further important and novel feature of my process is that I fuse and maintain fusion of the solvent chemical bath by the action of an alternating electric current or one incapable of yielding metal passed through the same be tween electrodes and reduce the metal from, the city-compound contained in the fused bath by the action of an electric current ca pable of yielding metal therefrom. Instead of employing as a chemical solvent copper- '7 bath fused lithium and calcium oxids, or what may be termed lithium'calcate or a substance containing the same, as herein set lightness or low specific gravit forth I can employ fused lithium glucinum oxids or lithium glucinate or substance containing the same in cases where articular 0 the bath is desired, or I can employ 'sed lithium hydrogen oxids or lithium hydrate, hydrogen being considered as a metal, or I can mix or combine any oxid or oxids or compositions thereof or em loy any oxy-cor'npound of metal in a fuse condition as a chemical bath in which the reduction of metal is-performed, so long as the said fused bath consists of an oily-compound or compounds of metal hav-' ing-greater afiinity for oxygen-under the existin conditions than the metal desired, and the lrect or electrolytic current is so reguxygen than the metal or metals of the fused lated' as to decompose or liberate metal'or metals. therefrom having less affinity for bath under its existing condition without departing from-the spirit of my invention.

In-the-reduction-of refractory metal oxide, such as -al ates dissolved in a imo'lten bath of chemicals, as hereinbefore set forth,

' the refractory metal oxy-compound is dissolved by the solvent action of the fused chemical solvent, andits'liquefaction below its normal melting point is accomplished by the direct solvent action of the chemical b without thelerfpenditure ofeither heat or electrical energy' to accomplish its fusion.

The 'liquefaction of refractory metal oxid is therefore accomplished by means other than the action of an electric current.

It will be noted that the non-metal-yielding current employed for fusing and maintaining the fusion of metal-containing substances employed in' my process is passed through the fused substances between contacts in such a manner that its path is parallel to or with the path of the direct or metal-yielding current. The advantage of disposing the non-metal-yieldi'ng curr'ent emplo ed for fusion purposes parallel to or with t e direct or metal-yielding current may be seen when it is understood that during the for fusion and electrolytic purpos'esshould the metalyielding current be checked for a short period the fused substances in the ath thereof have a-tendency to solidify and ecome nonconductive, thereby insulating the electrodes from each other, oc asioning eat loss of time and energy to iestablish the flow of current between the same. Therefore by so disposing the fusing or non-metal-yielding current that its path is'parallel to or with the path of the direct or metal-yielding current the maintenance of thefusion of thesubstancesis assured and the difiiculty experien: din the prior art is obviated.

It will be furtheriseen that by applying .current so long as they are non-meta Patent is from substances containing the same,

stances containing the same,

the fusing or non-metal-yielding current in a path parallel to or with the metal-yielding current through the fused contents of the furnace, thereby traversing the fused coni tents with the distinctive currents in a parallel d1rection, common electrodes or contactsfor' the currentswith the metal-cor taining substances may be employed, as shown at the metal-reduction pot, bot-has cathode fort D and H, Fig. 1, which illustratesthe direct current and electrode o'r contact to the metal-containing substancesfor .the

alternating current, the pot acting as an electrode, thus constituting a common contact for both currents. The heating. or fusing current or currents employed ma be alternating or any'other form of polyp 'Ylflld? mg.

Having now described my invention,'what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1; The process of reducing metal from substances containing in fusing the metal-containing substance b passing a non-metal-yielding current throng 1 the fused material between contacts, and liberating the metal from its compound by the action of a metal-yielding current asscd therethrough in a path disposed para lel to the same which consists or with the path of the heating ornon-metalyielding current.

2. The process of reducing aluminium consists in fusing the aluminium-containing substances by passing a non-metal-yielding current throu h contacts, an 'liberating the aluminium from its compound by the action of a metalyielding current passed thereth'rough in a path disp the heating or non-metal-yielding current.

3, The-process of reducing metal from substances-containing the same, which consists in liberating the metal by the action of a -metalyielding current while traversing the fused metal-containing substances between contacts with an alternating current parallel to the ath of the metal-yielding current.

4. o T e process of reduc ng metal from sub-. stances containing the same, which consists in liberating the metal by the action of a' which I the fused material between osed parallel to or with the path of metal-yielding current while traversing the' 1 fused metal-containing substances between contacts with a non-metal-yielding current disposed arallel to or with the path of'the metalie ding current. 4

5. he process of reducing metal from substances containing the; same, -which consists in liberatmsthe metal by the combined action of met electric currents, disposed throu containing substances ina paral el path.

6. The process of reducing metal fromsub-' whichconsists yielding and non-metal-yieldin h the meta 7 stances-containing the same, which consists in liberating the metal by the combined action of direct and alternating electric currents, disposed thrbu "h. the metal-containing substances in a paral e1 path. i

- 8. The process of reducing metal from substances containing the same, which consists in liberating the metal by-the combined ac tion of metal-yielding and. non-metahyielding electric currents, disposed through the metal-containing substances in a parallel path and'communicated tothe metal-com taming substances through a common electrode.

9. The process of reducing metal from substances containing the same, which consists.

in liberating the metal by the combined action of direct and polyphase electric currents, disposed through the metalrcontaining sub" stances in a arallel path, and communicated to the meta -containing substances through acommon electrode. D

.10. The process oi reducing metal from substances containing the same, which consists iii liberating the metal by the combined I seeks?" action of direct and alternat ng electric currents, disposed through the metahcontaming substances in a parallel path, and cons .municated to the metal-containing substances through a common electrode.

11. The process of reducing aluminium .i'rom substances containing the same, which i consists in liberating the aluminium by the combined action of metal-yielding and non-.

metal yielding electric currents, disposed through the metal-contan11ng substances n a parallel path. t

12 T116 process of reducing aluminium from substances containing'the same, which consists in liberatin the aluminium. by the combined'action 0 direct and polyphase electric currents, disposed throu hthe1netal-,

containing substances in a aral el ath,

13. The process of re ucing auminium from substances containing the same, which consists in. liberating the aluminium by the combined action of direct and alternating electric currents, disposed throu h the metal containing substances in a paral. el path.

in testimony whereof I my signature in presence oi two witnesses.

Witnesses H. N. JENKms, C. M. Fonsss'r.

HENRY sPENcsa usiness 

